


safe&sound

by savethecat



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Comfort, Comfort/Angst, Hurt/Comfort, I love my fire sibs and I wanted to write about them, Older Characters, Post-Canon, Siblings, Ten Years Later, post-redeemed azula, traumatized siblings comforting each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-10
Updated: 2020-05-10
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:21:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,941
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24103534
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/savethecat/pseuds/savethecat
Summary: Can time really heal all wounds?Years later, Azula and Zuko have a chance to see that so much has changed, and some things are just the same...
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	safe&sound

**Author's Note:**

> I haven't written anything in a long time, I miss writing about Azula, Zuko and all Atla characters so much! As I have said before, I haven't had much time to write lately, but I'm always thinking of these characters! 
> 
> This is just a one-shot, where the fire siblings are supportive of each other. I hope you like it!

Azula had worked late that day. Everybody in the Palace seemed to be already asleep, including the servants. Therefore, she had to go to the kitchen by herself to find something to eat, after all, she was starving. She could have woken the servants up, but then she would probably be scolded by her mother and brother, who often complained about the way she treated the servants. And since she was too tired to have a discussion with her family right now, she decided to go by herself. 

Sometime later, while she was trying to find ingredients to make some sort of salad (and failing terribly), she heard someone coming in.

“Finally! I really need-” She started, thinking it was a servant who was up late, but she blinked almost startled when she saw who it was. “Zuko?” 

He wasn’t in his usual Fire Lord clothes or in his night robes. He was wearing a cloak, his hair was messy as if he had walked in the wind and he looked extremely tired. Azula noticed he was shaking and she wondered if it was because the night was pretty cold or if something else had happened.

“I heard a noise coming from here. I didn’t expect to find you though.” He raised one eyebrow. 

“I’m trying to find something to eat, but nothing in this kitchen makes sense…” She complained, frustrated. “Where the hell were you anyway? You look terrible!”

Zuko only rolled his eyes and sat across the table, observing what she was doing with some kind of curiosity. Now, she was looking for a bowl as she held some vegetables, Azula couldn’t help but feel ridiculous. When she finally found the recipient, she faced her brother again. She thought he would be laughing or at least having some fun at her cost, but he seemed too distant for that. His tired eyes were empty even though he kept looking at her. She left the things on the sink and walked towards him, standing across the table.

“There is still some tea here.” She pointed to a teapot on the table. “Drink it, you look like you’re freezing.” She said coldly, before crossing her arms and looking down at him inquisitively. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on or not?”

Zuko looked up to face her. For a second, he didn’t look like the man he had become. The hero who helped the Avatar to defeat her and her father. The Fire Lord she had learned to work with. For a moment, he looked like that scrawny little boy who would cry on his mother’s lap over anything. That little boy who used to be so afraid of everything. She felt her stomach twisting. She used to love seeing this look on his face. And even nowadays, she liked it when he seemed a little scared of her. But it wasn’t the case. This was something else. 

After a long time, Zuko finally spoke. “I went to see father today.” His voice was weak and filled with shame. 

The Princess gaped at her brother. “What…” She pulled a chair to sit in front of him, she seemed perplexed. “W-why would you even do that?” 

His eyes widened at her. For a moment he looked so shocked, his face so pale, Azula feared he would throw up. 

“I thought you of all people would understand it!” He shouted at her. Azula frowned at him, confused. “You visit him almost every month!”

Azula felt her face burning in shame. She suspected her brother already knew about her visiting her father, but they had never talked about it. And she thought it was for the best.

“But it’s different, Zuzu…” She finally replied.

“How so?”

“You don’t have to do it.” She noticed Zuko frowning at her answer, but before he could question her, she asked, “What did he even say to you?”

Zuko shook his head and rest it on his hands, facing the table. “Many things… I hadn’t gone there in years…” He paused, taking a deep breath, looking away from her. “I guess… I thought he might have changed one bit after such a long time?” He let out a sad laughed. “You probably think I’m really stupid.”

Azula raised her eyebrows, nodding. “Indeed you are…” But for some reason, she regretted saying that the second she pronounced the last word. The pain in his face was almost palpable. When she opened her mouth to try to say something better, he spoke.

“He talked about you.” His eyes were fierce on her now. She froze and swallowed. What might he have said about her? Suddenly, she found herself worried about what Zuko would think of whatever his father might have said. Would he start hating her again? She hated that mere thought of that possibility hurt so much? “He is angry at me. He said you were his… His daughter, his prodigy, his weapon. And I’ve stolen you from him.”

Azula’s mouth opened, but she couldn’t really say anything. She didn’t even know how to feel about that. That her father saw her as a war weapon she knew a long time ago. She had probably known that since forever. But the fact that he would say that out loud to someone… to Zuko of all people, that felt like a punch in the stomach. 

“He talks as if anyone could force you to do anything you don’t want to…” Zuko whispered, smiling weakly.

Azula couldn’t help but feel a little flattered with that comment. And less miserable. But still, she remained silent. Studying her brother’s reactions. That angst in his face was something she had seen over and over again since they were little. That pain and confusion as well. She didn’t use to care much about it. Her father had taught her Zuko was weak and deserved all that. But her father had fallen. So had she at one point. But unlike her, he never rose. And he would never rise. That was something she knew for sure. 

There was a long silence before Azula finally spoke. Her voice was a whisper.

“Why did you even go there anyway?” 

Zuko frowned at her, confused.

“You often visit him! Why can’t I?” He asked, defensively. 

“Well, you can. My question is… Why would you bother?” She looked directly into his eyes, facing her own reflection inside his golden eyes. He opened his mouth to answer but she went on before he could say anything. “Zuko, that man burned you, banished you, and tried to kill you… He does not deserve you visiting him, it doesn’t matter if years have passed… Nothing will change what he has done, right?” 

Azula saw her brother swallowing hard. His lips were trembling. Did she go too far? But she hadn’t lied, had she? Ozai did nothing but hurt him, why would he bother? She couldn’t understand. 

Zuko shrugged after a while. He blinked fast, but Azula could see something was weird with his eyes and for some reason, she felt her stomach dropping at that sight. 

“I guess… Part of me will always feel guilty because he is my family, after all, I imprisoned him and let him rot there for years… Another part of me feels like a coward, because you also suffered because of him, a lot… And you go there…” His voice was a weak whisper, he was looking down, clearly ashamed.

“But it’s completely different!” Her brother almost jumped at her suddenly shout. Azula took a deep breath to calm herself. “Yes, Ozai wasn’t the best father to me either. And yes, a great part of the shit that happened to me was because of him… But…” She paused, looking unsure to him. “He was the only one I had… for a significant amount of time.”

Zuko looked at her with his eyes widened. 

“Mother was gone, then you were gone and so was Uncle. I mean, I only had him. And I guess part of me always knew he never really loved me or anyone, but it didn’t matter. As long as I was useful to him, he would praise me.” Azula sighed. “And of course, after such a long time with him, part of what I am… I credit it to him. The good and the bad sides. I wouldn’t be what I am if it wasn’t for him.” 

Azula looked away and cursed herself. She said too much. She wasn’t supposed to open so much, she hated exposing herself like that. Especially to her stupid brother. He was the one with a problem, not her. She felt her chest tightening. She should have focused on him, not herself.

Suddenly, she felt Zuko’s hand on hers. She looked at him alarmed.

“I think you give him too much credit,” Zuko commented, softly. His expression had changed out of nothing. He looked less angst and troubled now. And his voice had a tenderness tone. “I think you are what you are, mostly because of yourself. Especially the good sides.” He smiled, squeezing her hand.

She froze for a moment. One thing she hated about her brother was how he could be so stupidly emotional. How he could say things… stupid things. But for some reason, her chest felt lighter at that stupid comment and she felt a reassuring feeling as he held her hand. 

After a few seconds, she just pulled her hand back as though she had come to her usual self again. “You are so sentimental, Zuzu.” She rolled her eyes. “But, since we are here… If you ever want to go back there – it doesn’t matter the reason –, you don’t need to go alone.” She gave him a reassuring gaze and a quick smirk. 

Zuko nodded and smiled at her. 

Suddenly, her stomach growled and she groaned. “Ugh, I’m starving.” She complained.

“I thought you were getting something to eat.” He raised an eyebrow to her.

“I was… But the servants are already sleeping…” 

Zuko frowned, and then he suppressed a smirk.

“And you can’t do anything by yourself, can’t you?”

Azula glared at him. “Of course I can!” She shouted. But after a while she groaned, rolling her eyes. “Fine, I can’t. But I’m a Princess, not a cooker!” 

He let out a sound that seemed to be some kind of laugh.

“Come on, let me help you.” He said standing up.

Azula noticed the color was back to her brother’s face and he seemed less troubled. For some strange reason, that brought a warm feeling to her chest. She couldn’t help but smile to herself, thinking of how things had changed over the past years. Since when she acted like a supportive sister?

After a while, she realized Zuko was facing at her with a very confused semblance. 

“Are you okay?” He asked, still frowning. 

She shook her head and gave him her usual cold glare. Yes, things had changed between them, but they hadn’t got to the point she would give him nice smiles.

“Yeah.” She said abruptly. “I’m just hungry… Aren’t you supposed to helpful?!” She asked angrily, folding her arms. 

Zuko peered at her annoyed, but instead of arguing with her, he just started looking for things in the kitchen. 

“Here, grab this.” 

“I thought you were going to do it!”

“I’m  _ helping _ you. Not becoming your new servant!” 

“Of course not, my servants know what I like, you think I’m going to eat this?”

“Can you please stop complaining for one second?” 

“I’m not complaining! I just want something decent to eat!”

"Oh really, why don't you…"

(...)

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading it!


End file.
